Track-switch.



J. T. SOUTH.

TRACK SWITCH.

AFPLJCATION FILED MAYIZ, 1915.

1,171,674. Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. T SOUTH THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cov, WASHINQTDN, D c.

J. T. SOUTH.

TRACK SWITCH.-

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1915.

Patented Feb. 15,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

awtwwkw (IT. SOUTH THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 120-, WASHINGTON, D. c

I ED srarns PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN '1. SOUTH, OF RICE, TEXAS.

TRACK-SWITCH.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN T. SOUT a citizen of the United States, residing at Rice, in the county of Navarro and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Track-Switches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. i

My present invention relates broadly to new and useful improvements in track switches and has particular reference to the type which are employed in connection with single sidings from a main line.

One of the principal objects-of the invention is to provide in a track switch operating mechanism, a pair of throwing levers, one of which is positioned opposite the main track in advance of the siding and the other of which is mounted along the siding, both of said levers being adapted to be operated by a trip which is mounted on the passing car, whereby the car may automatically open the siding switch as it approached and may then, after passing on to the siding, automatically close the switch so that the main track will remain intact.

Another object of the invention is to associate with track throwing levers and accompanying mechanism, a signal and to provide in connection with the signal, a locking mechanism which may be employed to lock the signal and consequently the switch points, so that a train disobeying the signals will be derailed if attempting to throw the switch and leave the siding.

A further object and one of equal importance with the foregoing, isto construct the switch controlling mechanism with such regard to proportlon, number and arrangement of parts, that it may be cheaply manu-' factured, will be durable and efficient .in service and may be installed with a minimum expenditure of time and labor.

The above, and other incidentalobjects of a similar nature, which will be hereinafter more specifically treated, are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form part of this application.

With reference to the drawings, wherein there has been illustrated the preferred em- I Specification of Letters Patent. P te t d 15, 191

Application filed May 12, 1915. Seriallib. 27,620.

' bodiment. of. this invention, as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts, Figurel is a; top plan view; Fig. 2 isa side elevation with a portion of. the housing of one throw-,

- ing lever broken away; Fig. 3' is a section on the line 33, of Fig. 1;'Fig. 4 is asection on. the line H, of Fig. 1;. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the latch member of the signal shaft in one of its several positions; and Fig- 6 is an enlarged detail view of this latch member.

As. shown best in Fig l of the. accompanyingsdrawings, the main track designated generally by the letter, A, is accompanied by alsiding, generally. designated by the letter 13.. A pair of switchpoints; indi cated at 10 and 11 are pivotally mounted in the conventionalfmanner, so that the member 10 may constitute a continuation ofone is accompanied by a frog 13, against which the flange of a car wheel moving in the direction ofthe arrow in Fig. 1 is adapted to engage for SWIIIgIIIg the member 12 to admit the car to the main track. A spring indicated at 14 is provided to normally maintain the rail 12 in closed position, as in Fig. 1. may be provided in connection with the frog 1'3 and disposed for engagement by a 'A lateral web, indicated at 15' guardlti so that during the swinging of'the V point rail 12, thismember may not move upwardly from the ties. V

In controlling the point rails 10 and 11, I employ a pair of throwing levers, indicated at C and D, the former of which disposed along the main track in advance ofthe entrance to the siding and thelat-te r of which is disposed adjacent to the siding. The lever C is engageable by a trip lever carried by an oncoming, car for openingithe switch, while the lever D is engageable by the trip of the car for closing the switch, after the same has passed into the siding.

.Each of these levers is pivoted in a housing, These housings are similar in-con- 1' struction, as is best disclosed in detail in- Fig. 2. As will be noted upon reference to this figure, the housing is rectangular in shape and is constituted by hollow upper and lower sections, the adjacent horizontal edges of which are maintained in parallel spaced relation to each other by pairs of U-shaped brackets, which, as indicated at 17, are applied to the rear faces of the sec-, tions. The upper section of each housing is arranged in spaced relation to the lower section, in order that the trip bar which is carried by the car, as will be hereinafter eX- plained, may engage with the lever C or D, as the case may be, for swinging the same to open or close the switch.

' The two levers C and D are connected by means of a'switch controlling bar 18, a pair of rods 19 and :20, and chains 19 and 20. A pulley wheel indicated at 20 is provided forthe lever D, so that this member when swinging away from the switch will draw the controlling bar 18in the same direction, in which the'lever D is swinging. It is now-to be observed that the swinging of the lever C in one direction will cause the swinging of the lever D in the opposite direction.

' It is also to be noted that each of the levers is adapted, when swung a sufiicient distance in either direction to disappear into the lower section of the housing in which it is mounted, so that the trip bar passing between the two sections of the housing may emerge therefrom without obstruction.

'The controlling bar 18 is mounted for sliding movement through a guide frame G which is mounted upon a pair of parallel sleepers, indicated at 21. Extending longitudinally between the sleepers, is a draw rod 22 which is pivotally connected adjacent its outer end to the point rails 10 and 11. This draw rod 22 is, as will be readily observed, upon reference to Fig. .1, .slidable trans versely with respect to the main track, for swinging the point rails into open position or into closed position with respect to the main track, whereby a car may be shunted from the main track onto the siding or may be caused to maintain. its course along the main track.

The draw rod is mounted for movement between the sleepers and beneath the guide frame G and is normally held by means of a helical spring 23 in position to maintain the point rails 10 and 11 in closed track position,'as in, Fig. 1. The one end of the spring is engaged with the draw rod and the other end is secured to the guide frame G.

Mounted upon the draw rod is a block 2%, extending horizontally from which is a bracket arm 25. This member 25 is spaced above the draw rod so that a roller, indicated at 26 may be journaled on an axle 27 and disposed between the draw rod and the bracket. It is now to be noted that the controlling-bar is disposed for engagement. with the roller and that the bar is cut away at 7 point rail swung into open position: so .that* car may be run from'off the main; track on to the siding.

The manner inwhich the controlling levers C and D are operable'for openingand cerned for it will be seen that if the train is moved along the main track in the direction indicated by the "arrow, at the right.

hand side of Fig. 2, the-trip bar 29 carriedf by the car may be swung out to pass through 1 the housing of the lever C, so that it .will' engage with this lever and swing it. forwardly. The forward swinging of the lever C will, of course, draw the bar 18 toward the lever through the medium of themeinber 19 and the point rails will consequently be moved into open switch position in the manner previouslyexplained so that thecar may move from the main track on to the siding; As the car moves on to the siding, the trip bar is allowed to remain in extended position so that it may pass through the,

80 closing the track will now be readily dishousing of the lever B and engage this member, swinging-it in the direction in which the 612111118 moving. The swinging of the lever D will cause the retraction of the controlling bar to its initial position. Thus the spring may act to draw the rod'22 back to its normal and initial position, with a consequent closing of the switch. At this point it is to be explained that the trip bar carried by the car is preferably constructed in the manner indicated in Fig. 2, wherein it will be seen that the bar is mounted for sliding movement transversely on the bottom of the car and is supported within the guide brackets 30. An L lever 31 is mounted with its horizontal arm extending below the car and its vertical arm extending through the platform thereof. The free end of the horizontal arm is pivotally connected to the trip bar and the upper end of the vertical arm. of the lever is provided with a handle 32, by means of which the lever may be swung to project 1 the bar beyond either side of the car so that; the trip may-operatively engage with the le- I vers C and D, regardless of the direction in which the car is moving. The handle 32 is adapted to embrace a hasp 33 and-to be held by this member against turning so that the trip bar may be held beneath the car, when in inactive position.

It now remains to describe the manner in WlllCll the draw'rod 22 is connected to the signal, indicated at 34, and the means employed in looking the signal and consequently the point levers in open switch position. In this connection, reference is had particularly to Fig. 3, wherein it will be seen that the vertical shaft 35 which supports the signal is rotatably'mounted in a standard 36 secured upon the outer ends of the sleepers 21. This shaft is provided at its lower terminal with a crank 37 which latter member is freely connected to the draw rod by a link 38. The shaft 35 is provided with a lateral arm 39 which is fixed with respect to the shaft and is engageable by a rotatably mounted arm or latch 40. To this member is pivotally attached a locking arm 41. This member 11 also constitutes a bandle, whereby the shaft 35 may be rotated to project the draw rod 22 into such position that the point rails will be in open track position to shunt a car from the main track on to the siding. When the shaft is thus disposed, the handle 41 may be swung-downwardly to seat in a radial slot 42 formed in a locking plate 43 which is mounted upon the upper end of the supporting standard. The shaft 35 is thus as shown in Fig. 5 locked against return movement so that it will be impossible for the crew in a car moving along the main track to open the switch by throwing out the trip bar and swingingthe lever C. The arm 10 may also be rotated completely around the shaft 35 to engage against the opposite side of the arm 39 and the handle 41 engaged in the notch 42 so that the train crew may not open the switch as will be seen upon reference to Fig. 1.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provided a relatively simple switch controlling mechanism in which the. switch may be opened by an approaching train to permit the same to pass into the siding and may then be closed by the same train after it has passed into the siding. It will also be obser'vedthat the mechanism, while relatively'simple in construction, makes it possible for the switchman to lock the signal in the required signaling position and, at the same time and by the same means, lock the point rails of the switch in the position indicated by the signal.

In reduction to practice, it has been found that the form of this invention illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description as the preferred embodiment is the most efficient and practical; yet realiz- 'Copies of this patent may be obtained for ing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of this device will necessarily vary, it is desirable to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in the details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required,

without sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, as defined by the appended rails, a controlling bar engageable with the i draw rod for moving the rails to opentrack Y position, a housing mounted adj acent the maln track, and a housing mounted ad acent the sidlng, each of said housings comprismg hollow upper and lower sections, and -U-.

shaped brackets secured to the rear faces of the sections for maintaining the adjacent horizontal edges of the same in spaced relation, a lever pivoted in each ofsaid housings, and means operatively connecting said levers with the controlling bar, said levers 7 being adapted to be operated by a, trip bar passed through the space between the sections of the housing.

2. In a switching mechanism, the combination wlth movable point rails, which control the entrance from a main track to a siding, and a draw rod pivotally connected to the point rails and movable transversely with respect to the track for opening the rails, yieldable means operatively connected to the draw rod for normally maintaining the point rails in closed track position, a

vertical shaft operatively connected to the draw rod, and means for lockingthe shaft in adjusted position, whereby the draw rod may be maintained against movement when the point rails are in closed track position or maintained against movement when the rails are in open track position, said means comprising a stationary latch plate having spaced notches, an arm' fixed upon the shaft,

an arm loose upon the shaft, and a latch member pivoted to the said loose arm, said latch member being engageable in the notches of the plate. In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN T. SOUTH.

Witnesses:

A. C. HERVEY, E. C. HAWKINS.

Washington, D. C. 

